When did morals go away?

[HeatherC]

Just saw this on our local news as well as CNN. Makes me sad to think how soooo many prominent people seem to have little to no morals nowadays. What happened to personal integrity? Integrity….doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Why do people also think it is ok to lie, cheat, steal, bribe, etc? Every time you turn around it is another story like this. I know there have always been people who will do the wrong thing. It just seems like it is a heck of a lot more prevalent in our society nowadays.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/politics/high-end-brothel-network-arrests

 

[ICF]

I would guess about 8 years ago.....

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I would guess about 8 years ago.....

Did you not live through the 90’s?

 

[MillauFr]

You actually think things were better 100 years ago? 100 years ago the choices in our city's mayoral race was between candidates who wanted to legalize prostitution (with a kick back to the mayor and police chief of course) and those who wanted to ban prostitution. Often the corrupt candidates would win. The corruption was so prevalent that candidates didn't even hide that they were on the take.

 

[slo]

I've been asking this question for years now.
It's sad how so many people are today.

People tease me about how Downton Abbey is my favorite show, but I love it because it's a clean show during a time that most people had many of the qualities people lack today. When this current world starts aggravating me, I put on Downton Abbey to hit the reset button.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It seems like people have become more into looking out for themselves than the greater good.

I also can’t help but wondering why and how many of our public servants have become multi-millionaires?

 

[fly girl]

I think low morals have always been around. We just see it more prominently now as we can see everything everywhere pretty much in real time.

However, I do think in our instant gratification world we have become more self centered. Me, myself, and I rather than the community and people around you at large.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Just saw this on our local news as well as CNN. Makes me sad to think how soooo many prominent people seem to have little to no morals nowadays. What happened to personal integrity? Integrity….doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Why do people also think it is ok to lie, cheat, steal, bribe, etc? Every time you turn around it is another story like this. I know there have always been people who will do the wrong thing. It just seems like it is a heck of a lot more prevalent in our society nowadays.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/politics/high-end-brothel-network-arrests

What is disturbing about this article is that, while it doesn't say, you know some/most of these women are trafficked, groomed, troubled, etc.

And I wonder how many of these "hundreds of individuals" paying for sex are married?

 

[tvguy]

I don't think people's morals have changed. I think our ability to hear/see the information about bad moral behavior is so much more accessible thanks to the Internet.
PBS did a show interviewing reporters who covered the White House and they were asked why some of the moral indiscretions of days gone by weren't reported. The reporters all agreed, in those days, a President's private life was private and had nothing to do with being President. They only covered the Presidents official duties, not his extracurricular activies.

 

[Praying Colonel]

It's not just "nowadays." History is full of examples of leaders doing these kinds of things, just like non-leaders did these kinds of things. It's the human condition, and it's an old, old story.

 

[BrianL]

I don't think people's morals have changed. I think our ability to hear/see the information about bad moral behavior is so much more accessible thanks to the Internet.
PBS did a show interviewing reporters who covered the White House and they were asked why some of the moral indiscretions of days gone by weren't reported. The reporters all agreed, in those days, a President's private life was private and had nothing to do with being President. They only covered the Presidents official duties, not his extracurricular activies.

Yeah, humanity hasn't really changed that much over the centuries. It's all about what we see.

 

[kdonnel]

There have always been people that live their life contrary to the current rules/morals of society.

 

[TwoMisfits]

When religion did.

If there's no afterlife, which is a strong component of most religious faiths, why wouldn't you live life for you, and to get as much as you can as fast as you can, stepping over anyone who gets in your way? What aspect of human nature would hold you back if you thought this was all there is? If this is all there is, why not get yours? If there's no certain penalty, where's the harm to you?

 

[lisaviolet]

When religion did.

If there's no afterlife, which is a strong component of most religious faiths, why wouldn't you live life for you, and to get as much as you can as fast as you can, stepping over anyone who gets in your way? What aspect of human nature would hold you back if you thought this was all there is? If this is all there is, why not get yours? If there's no certain penalty, where's the harm to you?

Oh please, what utter nonsense.

There are tons of people who do not believe in an afterlife who are selfless, wonderful and caring people. And full of integrity. And just have their minds and hearts guide them on this earth.
(And yes of course there are also many religious people who are selfless, wonderful and caring people.)

And since we have eyes and ears, absolutely no need to point out the other side of that argument.

 

[dvcgirl67]

I think low morals have always been around. We just see it more prominently now as we can see everything everywhere pretty much in real time.

However, I do think in our instant gratification world we have become more self centered. Me, myself, and I rather than the community and people around you at large.

I agree. This kind of thing is as old as time. We just hear about everything immediately now thanks to social media.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I would guess about 8 years ago.....

You’re absolutely right about that one!

 

[adkkev]

When religion did.

If there's no afterlife, which is a strong component of most religious faiths, why wouldn't you live life for you, and to get as much as you can as fast as you can, stepping over anyone who gets in your way? What aspect of human nature would hold you back if you thought this was all there is? If this is all there is, why not get yours? If there's no certain penalty, where's the harm to you?

Religion is certainly no guarantee of moral behavior. Far from it.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Religion is certainly no guarantee of moral behavior. Far from it.

On the individual level, it's no guarantee. But on the societal one, it tends to be one of the anchors of civilized society, as far back as written history goes.

Exceptions are had on both sides. But society is not formed by exceptions.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I would guess about 8 years ago.....

Why would you say that? No timeline was mentioned in the article.

 

[BayouQueen]

How about how people steal so much stuff from stores now, and are completely shameless about it. When I was a kid, absolutely nobody wanted to be known as a thief. People just think anything goes now. And seems like that's pretty much true.
Sad.